Magnetic discs with magnetizable media are used for data storage in most all computer systems. Current magnetic hard disc drives operate with the read-write heads only a few nanometers above the disc surface and at rather high speeds, typically a few meters per second. Because the read-write heads can contact the disc surface during operation, a thin layer of lubricant is coated on the disc surface to reduce wear and friction.
A conventional longitudinal recording disc medium is depicted in FIG. 1 and typically comprises a non-magnetic substrate 10 having sequentially deposited on each side thereof an underlayer 11, 11′, such as chromium (Cr) or Cr-alloy, a magnetic layer 12, 12′, typically comprising a cobalt (Co)-base alloy, and a protective overcoat 13, 13′, typically containing carbon. Conventional practices also comprise bonding a lubricant topcoat 14, 14′ to the protective overcoat. Underlayer 11, 11′, magnetic layer 12, 12′, and protective overcoat 13, 13′, are typically deposited by sputtering techniques. The Co-base alloy magnetic layer deposited by conventional techniques normally comprises polycrystallites epitaxially grown on the polycrystal Cr or Cr-alloy underlayer. A conventional perpendicular recording disc medium is similar to the longitudinal recording medium depicted in FIG. 1, but does not comprise a Cr-containing underlayer.
Generally, the lubricant is applied to the disc surface by dipping the disc in a bath containing the lubricant. The bath typically contains the lubricant and a coating solvent to improve the coating characteristics of the lubricant that is usually a viscous oil. The discs are removed from the bath, and the solvent is allowed to evaporate, leaving a thin layer of lubricant on the disc surface.
The lubricant film on hard discs provides protection to the underlying magnetic alloy by preventing wear of the carbon overcoat. In addition, it works in combination with the overcoat to provide protection against corrosion of the underlying magnetic alloy. To improve media reliability as well as tribological performance, irradiation of lubricated media by ultraviolet (UV) light has been introduced to chemically modify the lubricant film. Since the efficiency of UV curing is directly related to throughput of the process, it is important to develop methods to reduce the UV dosage and still produce a high performance lubricant film.